El Presidente Posted June 6 Author Posted June 6 I preferred Cigar 2 to Cigar 1, but it wasn't my favourite of the 5. Loving the reviews 4
Popular Post griller Posted June 7 Popular Post Posted June 7 Got a free moment to light up Cigar #2 yesterday & the flavor profile suited my palate much more than #1. Draw was perfect, and the burn only required a few corrections from my torch due to a lot of wind in the area. I'm more confident that my pick is going to be correct (than I was with Cigar #1) but who knows LOL. So I "think" this is a Partagas Serie D #4. I've smoked quite a few of them over the years, but my last visit with the D4 was an aged sample from 2018 and while I really enjoyed #2 yesterday I'm pretty sure it's not an aged sample. Notes: 1st Third -- I'm getting a sweet spice, sourdough, and what I can only describe as a faint creamy cinnamon on the retro. 2nd Third -- a slight evolution from the 1st third but a little more boldness in those flavors. Pretty much retro'd the whole cigar & didn't get any of the strong pepper or youth that makes a retrohale unpleasant. Really enjoying this cigar. Final Third -- Wind was picking up so more burn corrects with my torch lead to creating a charred/burned wrapper dynamic that I picked up. Regardless, flavor profile was pretty much the same. Overall -- Really liked this cigar, and would love to see the aging evolution with a box if my bank account could afford it. Great now, and will surely develop into something special over time. Whether I'm right or wrong on my guess that this was a D4, this is a cigar I'd like in my rotation. 6
Popular Post vvvendo1969 Posted June 7 Popular Post Posted June 7 Cigar #2 On 7th June 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Gentle breeze here in Tokyo late at night but quite humid just before the begging of rainy season in Tokyo. << Before lighting a fire >> Very beautiful construction. Color is between Colorado and Colorado Claro. Not box pressed. Smell like barn in farms. Stored in ziplock with 69% BOVEDA in my win cellar keeping 13 degrees Celsius. << First 3rd >> Pairing with Coke. Punch cut. First puff. Honey, cedar and the other wood, and herb/spices coming up. I just feel the key flavor of PARTAGAS that I love most of all the Cuban cigar brands. I am not so confident but I just feel not think. Between light to modicum body. Very creamy and smooth. After taste, I am feeling sweet cedar. Burn is perfect and ash is white. << Second 3rd >> Pairing with Cuba Libre. Same flavor but getting stronger. In the middle of the second third, the flavor gets more complex. This is again very good cigar as Cigar #1. I love this. << Final 3rd >> Same pairing and I am getting drunk and I am feeling happy LOL. The flavor is now getting stronger and stronger but no harsh at all. << Conclusion >> The sweetness of this cigar reminds me of both D4 and Juan Lopez No.2. Actually I do not have enough experience in JL No.2 to judge confidently. I finally believe my first impression and conclude that Cigar #2 may be D4. This blind tasting is very very interesting and I think I can learn a lot from it. Thank you very much for El Presidente and his team. 6
Popular Post DrCaffeinated Posted June 7 Popular Post Posted June 7 Cigar 3 Blotchy wrapper, but with a beautiful oily sheen. I measure it at exactly 124mm and a 50ring gauge. Cold draw: Lemon, cream, and fresh hay. Perfect draw. First 3rd: Cashew and lemon cream burst onto the scene. My only immediate prediction is I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this cigar. Chocolate creeps in, then totally takes over. A delicate chocolate mousse is driving the show and I’m not mad about it. I’m honestly stumped. Great combustion, even better draw. Coffee, chocolate, cream, and citrus are swirling around my palate. I adore this. Haven’t a clue what it could be. It has elements of Montecristo, Hoyo, Juan Lopez, Upmann, and Partagas…so, of course, it’ll end up being none of those. It actually reminds me a lot of a Davidoff Aniversario Special R. Wouldn’t that be funny. I can’t help but wonder how much of my enjoyment of the cigar is due to the fact that both kids are taking a nap and the wife and I had some special time right before I lit this up. Second 3rd: Peanut butter toast with just a few sliced almonds sprinkled on top. This continues to impress me. Construction is just perfect. Whoever made my Cigar 1 was clearly going through some things… whoever made my Cigar 3 must have had the same morning I did. Final 3rd: I find myself thinking less about what cigar this is, and more about how old it is. This tastes like it has 4-5 years on it. I haven’t had much from the ‘24 crop, so if this is a young cigar, I need to be buying a LOT more of the recent vintages. The lemon cream returns (although I’m tempted to call it brioche instead of cream) but the chocolate and peanut butter remain. Beautiful. A thick layer of salt sits on my lips, which I kinda dig here. Concluding thoughts: Both Cigar 2 and Cigar 3 are firmly in my wheelhouse. I have a cabinet humidor that’s half full of Cubans, half New Worlds. Every time I smoke something like Cigar 1 I want to throw my hands up and just go all in on Tatuaje, Davidoff, Padron, Aladino, etc. Then Cigars 2 and 3 come around and I become Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III, only, you know, nicer. Guess? Absolutely no clue, but I want more. A LOT more. I’m going to go with a Montecristo No. 2. Silly Cuban quality control: they got the vitola all wrong! 5 3
TheDonTX Posted June 8 Posted June 8 Cigar #2. Stored with a 58% pack at 62RH 70F. Enjoyed with a Rose Prosecco. First third: Bitter start. Turns into wet earth and a dark green bell pepper. Slight coffee. Draw is great. Burn is perfect. Bitterness fades. Great smoke output. Second third: Got some of that twang. This thing is on the darker side. No sweetness. Black coffee and wet earth. A slight hint of cream for a few puffs but faded quickly. Last third: Black coffee, wet earth and zero sweetness. I would add some black pepper and some dark stout beer to the flavors throughout. I am fairly certain I know what this one is. Very enjoyable cigar but I do not buy these if it is what I think it is. Big and dark flavors. Meaty and strong. 3
EMC12 Posted June 8 Posted June 8 Cigar 2 Appearance: Gorgeous - smooth, oily Smooth draw, good smoke output 1st third: Baking spice Woody Subtle pepper spice Non-sweet creaminess 2nd third: Savory spice Bready Last third: Rich savory spiciness Woody Bready Medium to med+ I really enjoyed this one - solid 90. 2
Boxer31 Posted June 8 Posted June 8 Really thought when I first looked at the 5 cigars - all were robusto except for #5. But as I smoked a few they just felt like a 48 not 50. Submitted rest of my picks earlier this week. For #2 - thought that was the tastiest followed by #5 and #1. #2 - a lot of bread, cake batter and creamy notes. Even draw right down to the end. 4
mwaller Posted June 9 Posted June 9 Cigar No 2: An attractive and nicely rolled example. It appears to be another robusto. The cigar has some subtle flats on the side; I can’t decide if this due to a box press or simply being tied in a bundle with other sticks… Draw is in the firm side, but manageable. Opens with equal parts toast, leather and almonds. Retrohale is smooth and adds to the creamy toasty notes. Mid stick the almond fades and is replaced by a hazelnut note. The smoke has a decidedly oily character on the palate. Burn is impeccable throughout. I have no clue what it is🤔 3
Montezüma Posted June 9 Posted June 9 Voted Epi 2 but I don't think I got it right this round, having real doubts, the wrapper shade that others have just isn't Epi 2. Damn. What could it be?? 1
Bijan Posted June 9 Posted June 9 17 hours ago, Montezüma said: Voted Epi 2 but I don't think I got it right this round, having real doubts, the wrapper shade that others have just isn't Epi 2. Damn. What could it be?? Same here. I think if it's not Epi 2, it's a PSD4. I see enough cream in the reviews that I think Epi 2 is still in the running. We'll know pretty soon... 1
mwaller Posted June 9 Posted June 9 5 hours ago, Bijan said: Same here. I think if it's not Epi 2, it's a PSD4. I see enough cream in the reviews that I think Epi 2 is still in the running. We'll know pretty soon... I may be way out in left field, but I guessed JL No. 2. I haven't had an Epi 2 recently, but the PSD4 I've had recently all had a woody / cedar profile that was absent in Cigar 2. 1
SUP8333 Posted June 9 Posted June 9 Ohhh cigar 2 is good I like it. Are you guys smoking all 5 sticks before guessing or one a week?
TheDonTX Posted June 9 Posted June 9 5 hours ago, Bijan said: Same here. I think if it's not Epi 2, it's a PSD4. I see enough cream in the reviews that I think Epi 2 is still in the running. We'll know pretty soon... I will be shocked if cigar 2 is a D4. Epi 2 as well. I got nothing Partagas from it and no cream and cinnamon like Epi 2. To the point, if its a D4 or Epi 2 that means whoever put the label on mine mixed it up 😂 1
El Presidente Posted June 9 Author Posted June 9 Get those picks in people before Lisa arrives for work today.
JohnS Posted June 9 Posted June 9 1 hour ago, El Presidente said: Get those picks in people before Lisa arrives for work today. That means roughly two hours from the time of this post. 1
11BNMR Posted June 9 Posted June 9 Cigar 2 Condensed Notes: 50/64 inch x 124 mm (Robusto) Pairing: Mint Maté (Cold) Music: Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream A@C: Light hay CD: Grassy notes / Hay / Cold draw has a lot of dust particles / Draw is wide open Appearance: Appears to have come out of an SLB / Construction is superb / Tight seams / Perfect cap / Wrapper is Colorado in shade 1/3 - Off the light the cigar has great smokey hay notes / Reminds me of a “hay-baked” steak / Touch of dried fruit (cherry) / Sweet cedar undertone to the body of the smoke / Cigar is burning faster than normal and feels a little under-packed 2/3 - Cigar goes through a dead period where I get an unpleasant wet cardboard flavor / The cigar is still burning too fast compared to my normal Robusto smoking time / Towards the end of the second third the cigar burns through the under packed section and reestablished a nice sweet cedar and light cherry flavor profile 3/3 - Cedar / Cherry / Touch of cardboard flavors coalesce into a muddled base for the last third 1
BlueWS Posted June 11 Posted June 11 On 6/9/2025 at 11:17 AM, TheDonTX said: I will be shocked if cigar 2 is a D4. Epi 2 as well. I got nothing Partagas from it and no cream and cinnamon like Epi 2. To the point, if its a D4 or Epi 2 that means whoever put the label on mine mixed it up 😂 That's the name of the game with 8 month old cigars. I guessed that it was rolled in a Cohiba factory. Do I get half a point? 1
Popular Post Luca Posted June 11 Popular Post Posted June 11 Well, well, well, well, well...finally I get a break in this comp... Oh...*spoiler alert!!* by the way! 3 4
joeypots Posted June 11 Posted June 11 #2 I've been smoking quite a few of these lately but never this young. I've never been good at describing cigar flavors and I smoked this one driving in a downpour so I was paying attention to the road more than the cigar. As the drive and the cigar came to a conclusion my first thoughts were I am glad I'm home and this cigar has legs. Long legs.
Montezüma Posted June 12 Posted June 12 CIGAR 3 Lovely cold draw, rather sweet presented further on the whiff. Burning well, a medium smoke that could pass as light-medium. Not particularly floral so probably not a Punch and not enough novelty to be a QdO either. Its got creamy elements but its one of those cedar smokes that really brings back memories of a cigar I have had several. Smooth but leaves a lasting impression on the throat. Its an enjoyable cigar with commendable character but not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, not one of pure tobacco so probably neither a JL or VR. I’m feeling rather good about my wild guess but just missing the usual leather on this one to “lock it in” but perhaps thats an aging thing. I guessed Epi 2 for Number 2, would be hilarious if this one turned out to be the Epi 2. 4
El Presidente Posted June 12 Author Posted June 12 1 hour ago, chasy said: @El Presidente can we run this again with the No 2 vitola? For some reason, a piece of advice from one of our own great sporting coaches, Wayne Bennett, comes to mind “If you start listening to the fans, it won't be long until you are sitting next to them" 1
chasy Posted June 12 Posted June 12 1 hour ago, El Presidente said: For some reason, a piece of advice from one of our own great sporting coaches, Wayne Bennett, comes to mind “If you start listening to the fans, it won't be long until you are sitting next to them" Duuuude! I was kidding... obviously. 😬 1
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